The federal government and the State of California buy an enormous amount of work from small businesses every year. Very little of that money goes to the businesses best able to do the work. It goes to the businesses that are registered correctly, certified where it counts, findable by the right codes, and able to answer a solicitation in the format it demands.
That is the gap we close. GERC is a woman-led advisory firm in downtown San Bernardino that takes businesses from “we have never done this” to registered, certified, positioned and submitting.
How we work
Every engagement follows the same five stages. You can enter at any of them.
- Assess. What you sell, who buys it, whether the government actually buys it, and what is currently standing between you and eligibility. If the honest answer is that this market is not for you, we say so at this stage rather than after you have paid for six months of work.
- Prepare. Registrations and certifications — SAM.gov, Cal eProcure, California SB and SB-PW, and the federal socio-economic certifications you qualify for. This is the compliance floor. Nothing else matters until it is done.
- Position. NAICS and commodity codes chosen for the work you want, a capability statement that a contracting officer can actually use, and a profile that surfaces in the searches buyers run.
- Submit. Finding the right solicitations and responding to them properly — compliance matrix, required forms, pricing narrative, past performance presented at its strongest.
- Support. Keeping registrations active, renewals on time, certifications current, and the pipeline moving after the first submission rather than stopping at it.
What we handle
Registrations
- SAM.gov registration — the federal requirement behind every contract and grant
- SAM.gov renewal and lapsed registrations
- UEI and entity validation — the stage where most registrations stall
- Cal eProcure registration — selling to the State of California
Certifications
- California Small Business (SB) and SB for Public Works (SB-PW)
- Eligibility review for federal socio-economic programs, including WOSB, 8(a), HUBZone and SDVOSB — we assess what you qualify for and prepare the application
Positioning and pursuit
- Capability statement development
- Proposal and RFP response development
- Opportunity identification and bid/no-bid guidance
Why work with us
We have been through this ourselves. GERC is registered in SAM.gov under CAGE code 11SD2, and holds California Small Business (Micro) and SB for Public Works certification. We are not describing a process we read about.
We also tell you what will not work. If a certification you are hoping for does not fit your ownership structure, or your NAICS code puts you against companies fifty times your size, you hear that early. Consultants who agree with everything are expensive.
Common questions
Where should a business start?
With the assessment. Almost everyone who calls us has skipped a step somewhere — usually codes or certification — and doing the work in order is cheaper than redoing it.
Do you only work with California businesses?
No. Federal registration and proposal work is nationwide. Cal eProcure and California SB certification are, by definition, California-specific.
Can you guarantee we will win a contract?
No, and neither can anyone else. What we can do is make sure you are eligible, findable, and submitting responses that are compliant and competitive — which is where most businesses lose before evaluation even begins.
How are you paid?
Fixed fees for defined scopes of work. We do not take a percentage of contract value.
What does a government contracting consultant do?
Three things, in order. Gets you eligible — registrations and certifications, without which nothing else counts. Gets you findable — codes, profiles and a capability statement buyers can act on. And gets you submitting — finding the right solicitations and responding to them properly.
Is a government contracting consultant worth it?
It depends on whether government actually buys what you sell, and whether you have time to learn the systems yourself. Both are honest questions and we will answer them straight on a first call, including when the answer is no.
Where we work
We deliver nationwide, remotely. Federal registrations, federal and foundation grants, and proposal work are not tied to geography — most of our engagements never require anyone to be in the same room.
In California we work across Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County and the wider Inland Empire, plus San Diego, Ventura and the Central Valley. State-specific programmes such as Cal eProcure and California SB certification are, by definition, California only — everything else travels.
Our office is in downtown San Bernardino. See all service areas.
Further reading: Grants or government contracts: which path fits you? · Is SAM.gov registration free?
Schedule a Consultation
- Call (909) 454-7076 — the fastest route. Monday to Friday.
- Book a consultation — pick a time that suits you.
- Email us about Government Contracting — opens a message already titled, so it reaches the right person.
If you only want to know whether you need this at all, ask. There is no charge for that conversation.
See also: our capability statement